Aboriginal research:
Research that builds on traditions of thought and experience developed among, and in partnership with, First Nation, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada, as well as indigenous peoples in other parts of the world. Aboriginal research can encompass all academic fields, as well as domains of knowledge specific to First Nations, Inuit and Métis cultural traditions.

Those who conduct aboriginal research, while coming from diverse cultural traditions, are committed to respectful research involving both aboriginal and non-aboriginal perspectives. This understanding of aboriginal research represents a shift away from research on and for Aboriginal Peoples, to research by and with Aboriginal Peoples.

Applicant:
An individual or an institution applying for SSHRC funds. Eligibility requirements may vary between specific funding opportunities.

In the case of individuals applying for SSHRC fellowships or scholarships, the applicant is seeking funding to pursue a graduate degree or a period of postdoctoral research.

In the case of individuals applying for SSHRC grants, the applicant is also the principal investigator / project director and has primary responsibility for the intellectual direction of the research or research-related activity, and assumes administrative responsibility for the grant. In the case of teams or formal partnerships, the principal investigator / project director is understood to be responsible for the overall leadership of the team or partnership.

In most cases, individuals applying for grants must be affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution. In some cases, the applicant may be affiliated with a not-for-profit organization. See the definition for eligible institution for further details.

Applicants who are neither citizens nor permanent residents of Canada must be employed in teaching or research by the institution for the entire duration of the grant —unless the eligibility criteria of the funding opportunity to which they are applying explicitly states otherwise.

Applicants may not be employed as an assistant or associate for a research program directed by another researcher.

Applicants who are formally affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution, but who are employed outside the postsecondary education system, must demonstrate that their proposed research or research-related activity is not related to either the mandate of their regular non-academic employer or the normal duties for which they receive payment from that employer.

An applicant for a grant cannot be a student enrolled in a program of study. Any exceptions to this restriction are explained in the Eligibility section of the funding opportunities

In the case of institutions applying for SSHRC grants, the applicant is the postsecondary institution or not-for-profit organization. Such applicants must name an individual to act as the principal investigator / project director responsible for the overall leadership of the team or partnership.

Artist-researcher: An individual whose work involves research and the creation of works of art. Their work may include the training and mentoring of students and postdoctoral researchers. Individuals holding grants must be affiliated with an eligible Canadian institution.

Co-applicant (co-investigator): An individual, participating in a grant application, who makes a significant contribution to the intellectual direction of the research or research-related activity, who plays a significant role in the conduct of the research or research-related activity, and who may also have some responsibility for financial aspects of the research. Eligibility requirements may vary between specific funding opportunities.

Subject to SSHRC approval, a co-applicant affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution may be named principal investigator in the event of the original principal investigator's death or resignation.

Collaborator: An individual, participating in a grant application, who may make a significant contribution to the intellectual direction of the research or research-related activity, and who may play a significant role in the conduct of the research or research-related activity.

Collaborators are not eligible to be named principal investigator in the event of the original principal investigator's death or resignation. Collaborators do not need to be affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution. With the exception of certain travel- and subsistence-related expenses, SSHRC does not cover expenses that research collaborators incur in the conduct of research or research-related activity.

Conference: A special event that: a) focuses on one or more distinct themes in the social sciences or humanities; and b) is open to Canadian and international researchers, as well as students, both graduate and, where appropriate, undergraduate.

Degree program: An academic program leading to a degree.

Departmental appraisal: Appraisal of an applicant to the Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarships: Master’s Scholarships or the Doctoral Awards funding opportunities, submitted by the student’s department at the forwarding university. The departmental appraisal ranks a given applicant in relation to other applicants from the same university; discusses strengths and weaknesses of the applicant’s performance, abilities and proposed program of study; and comments on the relevance of foreign language training to the applicant’s degree programs, as well as on the applicant’s language proficiency/proficiencies.

Eligible institution: Refers to any organization deemed eligible to administer SSHRC grants and awards. A postsecondary institution (college or university) or not-for-profit organization need only apply for institutional eligibility if a researcher from their institution is applying for a funding opportunity as an applicant. Institutional eligibility is distinct from funding opportunity eligibility. SSHRC awards three different institutional eligibility statuses: full, provisional and restricted (please see Institutional Eligibility—Guidelines and Requirements for more information).

Emerging scholar: An emerging scholar is someone who has not yet had the opportunity to establish an extensive record of research achievement, but is in the process of building one.

Applicants identifying themselves as an emerging scholar must demonstrate that they have not applied successfully, as principal investigator or project director, for a grant through any of SSHRC’s funding opportunities.

In addition, they must meet at least one of the following criteria:

have completed their highest degree no more than five years before the competition deadline (SSHRC considers only the date of completion of the first doctorate); or

have held a tenured or tenure-track university appointment for less than five years; or

have held a university appointment, but never a tenure-track position (in the case of institutions that offer tenure-track positions); or

have had their careers significantly interrupted or delayed for health or family reasons within the past six years.

Established scholar: Someone who has established—or who, since the completion of his or her highest degree, has had the opportunity to establish—a record of research achievement.

Formal partnership: A bilateral or multilateral formal collaboration agreement between an applicant and one or more partner organizations, of which at least one must be a Canadian postsecondary institution and at least one must be different from the institution or organization that will administer the grant funds. Partnerships may be between academic institutions, or between one or more academic institutions and one or more non-academic partner organizations. These partner organizations agree and commit to work collaboratively to achieve shared goals for mutual benefit. Partners must provide evidence attesting to the commitment that has been agreed upon.

While the formality of partnerships may vary, a formal partnership is grounded in trust and mutual respect, with partner organizations contributing in a meaningful way to the success of the endeavour. This may include, for example, sharing in intellectual leadership or providing expertise. The partner organization is also expected to provide cash and/or in-kind contributions.

Industry partner organization: A for-profit organization, or an organization that assists, supports, connects and/or represents the common interests of a group of for-profit, incorporated organizations, such as an industry association or a formal or informal consortium.

In-kind contribution: Goods or services contributed to support a specific research project or research-related activity.

Partner organization: A partner organization participates actively in a formal partnership and contributes in a meaningful way to the success of the endeavour. A partner organization may be, for example, a Canadian or foreign: postsecondary institution, government department (federal, provincial, territorial, municipal), for-profit or not-for-profit organization, or foundation. Partner organizations are required, for administrative purposes, to identify an individual who will act as a contact person. A partner organization is expected to support the activities of the formal partnership by sharing in intellectual leadership or providing expertise. The partner organization is also expected to provide cash and/or in-kind contributions.

Postsecondary institution:
A public or private not-for-profit degree- or diploma-level university, university college or college established in accordance with appropriate provincial or territorial legislation.

Program of study: A program of proposed research as a partial requirement to obtain an academic degree.

Program of work: A program of proposed research in relation to an application for a SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Record of research achievement:
Includes any identifiable contributions made by applicants to the advancement, development and transmission of knowledge related to the disciplines supported by SSHRC.

Referee: An expert submitting the assessment of an applicant and his/her program of study or work as part of an application for a fellowship or scholarship.

Research-creation: An approach to research that combines creative and academic research practices, and supports the development of knowledge and innovation through artistic expression, scholarly investigation, and experimentation. The creation process is situated within the research activity and produces critically informed work in a variety of media (art forms). Research-creation cannot be limited to the interpretation or analysis of a creator’s work, conventional works of technological development, or work that focuses on the creation of curricula. The research-creation process and the resulting artistic work are judged according to SSHRC’s established merit review criteria.

Research administrator: The organizational contact who confirms that the organization will take responsibility for the administration of SSHRC funds, should the applicant be awarded funding.

Research institution: An institution with a research mandate and qualified research staff and/or research facilities.

Team: Includes an applicant (principal investigator / project director) and/or one or more co-applicants (co-investigators) or collaborators. In the case of an institutional application, the organization’s designated contact person is part of the team.

Tools for research and related activities: Research and related tools as vehicles that broadly facilitate research and related activities. Social science and humanities tools enable researchers to collect, organize, analyze, visualize, mobilize and store quantitative and qualitative data and creative outputs. Tools can be created as part of a research or related undertaking, or purchased off the shelf.

Workshop: A small, invitational event of 30 or fewer participants, the object of which is to: a) develop a particular research agenda or delineate specific research questions and needs; and b) produce a concrete deliverable (book, policy position paper, etc.).

Workshop participant: Someone who is actively involved in the event, such as a presenter, a discussant or a panelist.